To begin, you will need to prepare 8 half pint canning jars and lids. When canning, all jars and lids must be sterilized. Have these prepped and ready to go, along with your hot water bath canner and canning supplies. (See: Are You Ready for Canning Season?)

Instead of a hot water bath canner, you could also use a Steam Canner.

The crushed strawberries will need to add up to 4 cups. This will take approximately 2 quarts of fresh strawberries, washed and with the stems removed.

Next you will need 1 cup of minced jalapeño peppers. Remove the core and seeds before mincing. Depending upon the size of your peppers, this will take 4-5 of them to make one cup.

Put the crushed strawberries and jalapeño pepper in a stock pot. Use a larger pot than you think you will need. When your jelly boils, it will expand greatly in size and you don’t want to make the mistake resulting in a boil-over. Trust me. Don’t ask me how I know.

To this you will add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and one pouch of the traditional powdered pectin. Most recipes call for a 2 ounce package, but mine always say 1.75 ounces. That’s what I used here.

Bring this mixture to a simmer. When it begins to bubble, add in 7 cups of sugar. Bring the entire mixture to a rolling boil (this is where the big pot plays in) stirring rigorously with a long handled spoon or spatula (non-metal.) Boil it for one minute and reduce the heat all the way down to low. Continue stirring until it settles down and is still.

Once the jam has settled, use a ladle to scrape off the foam from the top of the jam. Discard the foam.

Carefully ladle the hot jam into the prepared hot jars. Give the jam in the pot a stir each time you fill a jar. Use a damp cloth to wipe the rim of the jar, making certain it is clean. Place a lid and ring on the jar, and place it into your canner. Here you can see I also made some smaller 4 ounce jars of jam. You can do this as well, they will process for the same amount of time as the 8 ounce jars. I like to make several of these smaller jars to give as gifts.

Process your jars in the hot water bath for 10 minutes. { Lower the jar rack down into the boiling water. The water should be at least on inch above the tops of the jars. Let the water come to a rolling boil, then start your timer.

Tip: If your jars want to tip over because there is space in your rack, lay an empty canning jar down to fill in that space. Then your jars won’t tip over.

After the 10 minute processing time, carefully remove your jars to a surface that is covered with a folded towel. This should be a draft-free location, out of the way where the jars can sit undisturbed for 24 hours. In a short time, you will begin to hear the “Ping!” of success – the sound of the lids suctioning down and vacuum sealing.

I have made several batches of this jam in the past couple weeks. This batch was done in some other shaped jars.

After 24 hours, you can remove the rings if you like. Store the unopened jars in your pantry, opened jars in the fridge.

You also may want to hide a jar away for a secret stash. This jam will vanish before you can say “jelly toast.”

“Can I use Liquid Pectin instead of powdered in the Strawberry Jalapeño jam?”

Yes, however you’ll need to change how you do it as liquid pectin acts differently than the powdered.

Start off by making the jam the same way, but do not add the pectin yet. After you add the sugar and boil it, then you will add the pouch of liquid pectin and bring it to a hard boil a second time. Stirring continually, hard boil it for another full minute.

Then reduce the heat and continue as before with jarring and processing.

Instructions

To begin, you will need to prepare 8 half pint canning jars and lids. When canning, all jars and lids must be sterilized. Have these prepped and ready to go, along with your hot water bath canner and canning supplies.

Combine the crushed strawberries, minced jalapeño peppers, lemon juice and pectin in a large stock pot.

Bring this mixture to a simmer, stirring continually. When it begins to bubble, add in the sugar.

Bring the entire mixture to a rolling boil (this is where the big pot plays in) stirring rigorously with a long handled spoon or spatula (non-metal.) Boil it for one minute and reduce the heat all the way down to low. Continue stirring until it settles down and is still.

Once the jam has settled, use a ladle to scrape off the foam from the top of the jam. Discard the foam.

Carefully ladle the hot jam into the prepared hot jars. Give the jam in the pot a stir each time you fill a jar. Use a damp cloth to wipe the rim of the jar, making certain it is clean. Place a lid and ring on the jar, and place it into your canner.

Process your jars in the hot water bath for 10 minutes. { Lower the jar rack down into the boiling water. The water should be at least on inch above the tops of the jars. Let the water come to a rolling boil, then start your timer.

After the 10 minute processing time, carefully remove your jars to a surfaces covered with a folded towel. This should be a draft-free location, out of the way where the jars can sit undisturbed for 24 hours. In a short time, you will begin to hear the “Ping!” of success. The sound of the lids suctioning down and vacuum sealing.

After 24 hours, you can remove the rings if you like and store the sealed jars in your pantry.

Open jars must be refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: Use a larger pot than you think you will need. When your jelly boils, it will expand greatly in size and you don’t want to make the mistake resulting in a boil-over. Trust me. Don’t ask me how I know.

Note 2: Most recipes call for a 2 ounce package, but mine always say 1.75 ounces. That’s what I used here.

Tip: If your jars want to tip over because there is space in your rack, lay an empty canning jar down to fill in that space. Then your jars won’t tip over.

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20 thoughts on “Strawberry Jalapeño Jam – The Best Jam You Ever Tasted!”

Hi,
I cannot wait to try this jam with the jalepenos.
I wanted to share a trick/tips I learned from my grandmother years ago when making jams.
Before you start cooking the berries, use a ¼ cup sugar from the measured amount and mix with the package of pectin in a small bowl, still well to mix, then stir the sugar/pectin mixture into your pot of berries, add a teaspoon unsalted butter to the berries before bringing the berries to a boil. The butter will reduce the foaming, so you don’t need to skim it off.

Yes, however you’ll need to change how you do it as liquid pectin acts differently than the powdered. Start off by making the jam the same way, but do not add the pectin. After you add the sugar and boil it, then you will add the pectin and bring it to a hard boil again. Stirring continually hard boil it for another minute. Then reduce the heat and continue as before.

When I was a kid, my mom was a canning fanatic. The cellar was full of jars of preserves, pickles, you name it. This sounds like a very tasty jam indeed. I would love using it on a cheese board for sure.

I. Love. Making. Jam. I also ADORE strawberry jalapeno jam, or mango habanero jam, or basically, any spicy and sweet jam! This is a great tutorial on how to do it. I don’t think many people realize how easy it is!